News

Official Opening of the North West Regional Science Park, CoLab, LYIT

The North West Regional Science Park (NWRSP) was officially opened at the Letterkenny IT by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD and Minister of State Joe McHugh TD, to coincide with the publication of the North East/North West Action Plan for Jobs, targeting a 10-15% growth in employment across the region in the coming years. The NWRSP provides a flagship hub for all that is innovative, creative and knowledge based in the North West of Ireland.

Speaking at the launch, Minister McHugh, “This impressive project has been achieved through a unique cross-border partnership involving Northern Ireland Science Park (NISP) and LYIT, and is being led by the North West Regional Cross Border Group. The newly extended CoLab is situated at the Letterkenny Institute of Technology campus, where the team at CoLab is already involved in numerous initiatives and programmes for technology entrepreneurs ensuring the latest trends and thinking across many industry sectors are catered for.
“I have attended numerous functions in Letterkenny IT, and I am aware of the continuous hard work ongoing here in promoting the Institute over the years, and as a direct result, the area of Letterkenny. I wish to commend Paul Hannigan and all the team in their success here. This location provides the perfect setting for a well-educated, dynamic work-force, and I have no doubt that exploring further possibilities will now be an exciting prospect and already a strong reality for Letterkenny IT.”

Minister Bruton speaking at today’s event, “When I visited the LYIT campus 18 months ago I spoke about the importance of innovation in supporting jobs growth across the regions. Since then, 10,000 jobs have been added in the North East/North West region but we must do more if we are to deliver the living standards that we are targeting for people across the country. That is why we are today launching a new jobs plan for the entire region, with innovation at its very heart. The official opening of the North West Regional Science Park will play a major role in supporting new innovation and R&D in companies and education institutions right across the region. “

The project is funded by the European Union through the INTERREG IVA programme, which is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). Match-funding for the project has also been provided by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in Ireland with the financial contribution of just over €1m toward the construction costs of this project , and with funding provided by the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland.